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Ontario Municipalities Ready to Put New Federal Infrastructure Funding to Work

TORONTO, Jan. 26 /CNW/ - The Association of Municipalities of Ontario
(AMO) today welcomed the announcement of substantial new federal
infrastructure funding by Federal Transport and Infrastructure Minister John
Baird.
"Additional federal investment in infrastructure will help Ontario
municipalities get on with priority infrastructure projects and it will
provide an important boost to the economy and job creation," said Peter Hume,
President of the Association of Municipalities of Ontario. "Municipalities can
put this new federal investment to work quickly in every part of Ontario."
The announcement included:
- A new $4 billion Infrastructure Stimulus Fund for provincial,
territorial and municipal government infrastructure, including roads,
clean water systems and public transit;
- $2 billion for colleges and universities; and
- $1 billion Green Infrastructure Fund for sustainable energy
infrastructure.
"AMO has advocated strongly for additional federal investment in
municipal infrastructure," said Hume. "New funding for roads, water systems,
public transit and social housing responds directly to the greatest needs of
Ontario municipalities and will strengthen Ontario's competiveness and
productivity."
This announcement builds on news on January 24th, when Federal Human
Resources and Skills Development Minister Diane Finlay is reported to have
announced $2 billion in funding for social housing - a much needed injection
of funding for Ontario municipalities struggling with the rising costs and
increasing demand for social housing in their communities.
AMO is a non-profit organization representing almost all of Ontario's 444
municipal governments. AMO supports strong and effective municipal government
in Ontario and promotes the value of municipal government as a vital and
essential component of Ontario and Canada's political system.